WILD ALASKA BLOG

Press Release: GOP Appropriations Bill for Department of Interior Targets Fossil-Fuel Extraction in Alaska, States

By Anja Semanco | July 13, 2023

Today, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced an appropriations bill that would recklessly expedite fossil-fuel extraction on America’s public lands and waters in Alaska and other states.  

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Member Spotlight: A Long Overdue Trip to the Arctic Refuge

By Guest Blog | July 6, 2023

From fishermen to childcare workers, we all spent the spring and summer of 1989 in the chaos of the massive oil spill – trying to protect nearly a billion juvenile salmon, attending countless town meetings, scooping up oil using fishing boats, cleaning oil drenched birds and witnessing the collapse of the herring fishery.

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Great Alaska Migrations

By Anja Semanco | June 27, 2023

Alaska boasts some of the most incredible wildlife in the U.S., not only for the sheer number of creatures that call Alaska home, but also for the hundreds and thousands of miles so many migratory species cover every year.

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Bill to Provide Lasting Protections for Tongass National Forest, Roadless Areas Nationwide Introduced By Rep. Gallego (D-AZ)

By Anja Semanco | June 6, 2023

Today, Representative Gallego (D-AZ) and Senator Cantwell (D-WA), along with 15 other lawmakers, reintroduced the Roadless Area Conservation Act (RACA).  This legislation would codify the Roadless Rule on 58.5 million acres of national forest land nationwide—including within Alaska. 

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Hidden Wonders of the Western Arctic with Peter Mather

By Hilary Stamper | May 25, 2023

After spending over a decade photographing hidden wonders partly in a region inadequately named the “National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska,” Peter pairs first-hand stories with world-class images that show why the Arctic is such a unique and special place.

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Alaska’s Critical Role in Protecting Global Biological Diversity

By Anja Semanco | May 22, 2023

In addition to serving as home to 229 federally recognized tribes and the highest proportion of American Indian and Alaska Native people in the U.S., a 2020 study of intact habitats around the world identified 93.6 percent of Alaska’s lands as essential in stabilizing climate and avoiding species extinction. The study emphasized the unique importance of Alaska’s vast landscapes and high carbon storage capacity.

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Proposed Land Exchange in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Raises Legal Questions

By Anja Semanco | May 18, 2023

Today the Department of the Interior published a Notice of Intent to prepare a supplemental environmental review of a possible land exchange involving Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge for a road.

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Forest Service Announces Inventory of Mature, Old-Growth Trees and Forests

By Anja Semanco | April 20, 2023

Today, the U.S. Forest Service announced a process to protect mature and old-growth trees and forests as part of its strategy to help federally managed forests cope with effects from climate change. A rulemaking process will come next, including a public comment period to gather input on new policies under consideration. 

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Chubb Insurance Bans Underwriting Arctic Refuge Drilling

By Anja Semanco | April 19, 2023

Chubb insurance company officially signed a new policy prohibiting the underwriting of oil and gas extraction projects in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (as well as other government-protected conservation areas).

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ExxonMobil Says They Are Not Interested in Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

By Anja Semanco | April 17, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 17, 2023Washington, D.C. — Industry giant ExxonMobil has informed shareholders in a new proxy statement that the company has no plans for new oil and gas exploration or development in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. ExxonMobil’s announcement is another strong indication that major oil companies view drilling in the Arctic Refuge as…

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